Got one of those nice Star BM Pistols from Classic Firearms.

[Hobe Sound, Falcon]

I am hoping there are some Star Folks here on the Forums. I got one of those Spanish Star BM Pistols in 9mm. Very Nice Pistol and well worth paying the extra 20.00 Dollars for Hand Select. I do have some Questions however! I am aware it was made for only 20 Years. 1972 to 1992. When all the Spanish Firearms company's went out of business. Got it with the original Green Cardboard Box, Spare Mag. Clean Rod, and Manual in Spanish, I was able to locate one of those English Star Manuals on gun broker. Sadly the Company went out of business. The Company with the B&W Photos and Yellow Cover, it was a Husband and Wife Company and they split. My Questions are about the 3 Serial Numbers on the Frame of the Pistol. The Serial Number on Frame and Slide both have a circle behind the Number. The Spanish Unit Crest was marked out before Sale. The Serial Number on the Box, Slide, and Frame is 01314, Then there is a left Frame SN, running up the side of the front of Left Grip, 1373139, Finally on the Frame under the C.A.I. Stampings on the Slide, is the SN SBM2011990. My Question to you all is: Which one is the real Serial Number of the Pistol, also what did BM mean? and is the last 4 Numbers of the Serial Number on the Lower Right Frame, (1990) the Year of MFG? Please advise! Thank you Paul in Hobe Sound, Fla.

[Aguila Blanca]

Didn't the FFL who did the transfer for you give you any sort of receipt listing the serial number?

[TunnelRat]

The serial number by Century is what is recorded in the US as the serial number. As for the date, look on the trigger guard. There will be a two number code on the right side flat area. That is the year of production.

I picked one up too. I like it so far. I put 150 rds through it yesterday. It's very comfortable to shoot and holds decent albeit not superb groups IMO, at least as compared to shooting other single actions such as the High Power or 1911. Mine ejects mainly to the 2 o'clock position, more like a rifle than a pistol, but it's very consistent. My only gripe is it's definitely set up for a 6 o'clock hold. At 10 yds I have to hold a good 2" below my desired point of impact., maybe even closer to 3". That could be a function of my ammunition as well. This is different from the way I have the sights set up on every other pistol I have so it's likely overly noticeable to me.

Still for the prices currently I honestly can't think of a better value. I've read some reviews that talk of them as if they're Excalibur found again and I think some people tend to overhype surplus pistols in general. That said I see nothing on it that seems poorly done and I imagine it would give years of good service. Mine is in what I'd gauge as Good to Very Good condition (was a handpick) and the bluing is decent except for the backstrap. I hoped for a little better but honestly I got what was advertised. I also completely disassembled and cleaned mine and found a spot of rust forming in the frame so do check it over internally (it cleaned up with CLP and a bronze brush).

As for some tips, the magazine disconnect is very easy to remove if you so desire and removing it makes the mags drop free too. Just be careful with the grip screws as the steel is a bit soft on them and you can ruin them (FWIW I hate, hate slotted screws). Also I heard the firing pins can break so be sure to use snap caps or similar.

[Ibmikey]

The original serial number is located on the left side of the frame, the Spanish date code ( letter and number) is located under the left grip, the number 01314 on the right side of the slide is the “Civil Guard” issue number and finally CAI along with their overbearing import logo has added a serial number so the boys at ATF are not confused with identification of the pistol. This resulted from cryllic serials confusing the system...if the pistol is properly serialed as the B M is i believe an additional number is not required CAI seems to relish destroying the esthetics of all firearms they import.

[Hobe Sound, Falcon]

Yes I got a Receipt, but though it was funny to have so may numbers on the Gun. Thanks for the Info. I will check for that Date of MFG. Mark. Paul

[OneFreeTexan]

Why does everyone bash CAI? Without them we wouldn’t have a lot of the nice imports.I dealt directly with them in years past and was very , very pleased with their service and cooperation..I have a few BM’s I bought for. $99.....good gun, look for reviews on them online.

[Hobe Sound, Falcon]

Yes! Found the Year too, thanks to all, my Star BM is a 1976 made one. Paul in Hobe Sound, Fla.

[RUT]

>>SBM2011990<<

This is the S/N you want to use. I have two of these jobbies and like them very much.

[tallball]

My Star BM is terrific. Century gave mine a new serial number. I am assuming that the "76" near the trigger guard means it was made in 1976.

[Ibmikey]

Some BM’s have a number on the left side of the guard, some on the right and some with no numbers, the best way to date it is the code under the left grip.
As far as bashing CAI ( really I try not to be a basher) just look at the defacing they do on all of their imports which seems to be more obscene each year. I’m sure they have the technology to place a more subdued form of marking on weapons but obviously not the desire. I personally do not knowingly buy their products. End of rant.

[TunnelRat]

Would I rather the import mark be elsewhere or not there? Sure. But at the end of the day I don’t spend a lot of time staring at the side of the slide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OneFreeTexan]

Just curious, Mikey, how do you know CAI had the technology to do a more subdued form, and why would they want to? So regardless of how good a deal one of their guns might be, you just ‘ain’t’ gunna buy it because of the marking they do?
Yeah, that makes sense.
Isn’t CAI gone now?

[Hobe Sound, Falcon]

I am guessing, they are afraid of the B.A.T.F. not liking their Import Mark.?

[arquebus357]

Here's mine. Ain't it purdy ?

[Bill DeShivs]

There is something stuck on it that doesn't belong there!

[Fishbed77]

Why does everyone bash CAI? Without them we wouldn’t have a lot of the nice imports.

Their imports can be great.

Their cobbled-together parts guns and US-made AKs... not so much.

That said, I own a a later-production Century VZ2008, which was a product they contracted out to another manufacturer (who built them on a new receiver with surplus vz.58 parts), and it's been a fantastic little rifle.

[shaunpain]

I picked up a BKM in the wild some time ago and it works just fine considering how little I've shot. Also own a Super B. Both were screaming deals. As far as Century is concerned, no comment!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Big Shrek]

Heck, I like the 1911 rail attachment!

Who makes that one??
I wouldn't mind adding those to several of my carry Stars!

[BOOGIE the oily]

Arquebus357: those grips are gorgeous!

[arquebus357]

Heck, I like the 1911 rail attachment!

Who makes that one??
I wouldn't mind adding those to several of my carry Stars!

That's a section of aluminum rail from the UTG Mossberg 500 kit. Selected because it has holes in a convenient location.
Stuck on like this..

Arquebus357: those grips are gorgeous!

Thanks. That's stabilized Amboyna burl. Beautiful stuff.

[Ibmikey]

Onefreetexan. In response to your question I should think that a company that can apply large type can also print with a smaller font. I have CAI marked weapons that use a tiny font that is not objectionable to me, I also have weapons with their large billboard style .....as far as the BM pistols I would not have purchased it knowing what CAI scratched on all of them. I have six or eight other BM’s in original state so passing on a defaced one would not cause me any consternation.
Apparently the disfiguring of the pistol is acceptable to you so I shall forgo any further purchases of CAI imports leaving more for you to choose from.

[OneFreeTexan]

Thank you Mikey,, I appreciate that. A few months ago I purchased many CAI guns , odds and ends, that were being auctioned off by a friend. Got some incredible deals...Glad you weren’t bidding against me..Some of them I got with no competed bids. Amazing,, they were some obscure one of a kind guns, but am really happy with them.

[Archie]

The Basque made guns (Astra, Star, Llama) were pretty good guns in many respects. They went out of business in 2008 (if memory serves) due to global recession and inability to obtain loans. Sad.

The Basque guns suffer from two problems. The metallurgy was a bit hit and miss. Some guns - without a pattern I could find - were soft in either frame or slide. Secondly, no replacement parts are being made; all repair parts have to be found in the 'obsolete' gun parts places. [insert rude noise here]

I had a BKM - the alloy frame model - and loved it. It was a 9x19 pocket pistol, back when the only alternative was one of few .380ACPs or a .25ACP. Other than the heavy trigger pull, it was a dandy self-defense iron.